


The Lord of Lhant

by GrimSylphie



Category: Tales of Graces
Genre: Asexual Character, Character Study, F/F, F/M, Gen, M/M, Post-Canon, Pre-Epilogue, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-10
Updated: 2019-12-14
Packaged: 2021-03-07 15:00:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 2,528
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21739390
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GrimSylphie/pseuds/GrimSylphie
Summary: "The Lord of Lhant is strange. That is what the people of Lhant and those travelling through often said."A Tales of Graces Week series describing how the world sees Asbel Lhant post-Graces F, versus how his friends see him, specifically with regards to his duty as the Lord of Lhant and his complete disinterest regarding romance in a world where friendship rules. All pairings are implied.
Relationships: Cheria Barnes/Asbel Lhant, Cheria Barnes/Pascal, Malik Caesar/Richard Windor
Kudos: 8





	1. Sophie

**Author's Note:**

> This idea came about after several discussions with friends in which one proposed Asbel's complete disinterest in romantic or sexual relationships at the age of 18 as Richard and Cheria both actively hit on him at one point or another may mean something. Namely, Asbel is asexual, and perhaps aromantic as well. I've had the idea of writing this fic around the prompt "The Lord of Lhant is strange." and will go through how party members see Asbel before finally ending with how Asbel sees himself. 
> 
> Since Graces week was the kick I finally needed to write this, I will be writing in the order of the daily character prompts with one exception, Asbel will be at the end.

"The Lord of Lhant is strange." That is what the people of Lhant and those travelling through often said. 

Sophie had watched as Asbel Lhant had begrudgingly taken up his birthright after returning from a long journey. During that time Sophie watched Asbel as he struggled. Unlike travelling and making friends, taxes and paperwork never came easily to Asbel. Sophie saw him struggle at the beginning and then watched as he bloomed into quite the reluctant politician. He discovered that fighting for the people of Lhant was very similar to fighting monsters alongside his friends. 

For Sophie it was wonderful to see the person who showed her the world and helped her discover the beauty in it, discover his own joy in a position he never asked for. She enjoyed the quiet evenings when they went up to Lhant Hill to watch the sunset. She enjoyed the visits from their friends and she enjoyed living in this world. 

Still, she heard the rumors. She knew people wondered about Asbel. Why hadn’t he taken a wife yet? Would he and Cheria ever be wed? Was he planning on wedding Sophie instead? Or maybe that strange girl with the two toned hair who sometimes visited? They constantly wondered and after a while Sophie did too. 

From what she understood when people reached adulthood they found someone to spend their time with. She watched her friends pair up. First Hubert had wed a girl his adoptive father selected for him in a lavish wedding befitting a member of the Oswell family and an officer in Strahta’s military. Cheria could often be found kissing Pascal when no one was looking. Even King Richard and Captain Malik often snuck off together on the rare occasions they were in one place. Couples kissed, they hugged, they joined their bodies as one in a way she didn’t quite understand despite Malik’s explanations by the fireside as they kept watch. Still, Asbel never did any of those things. 

What Sophie couldn’t understand was people cared. Why did it matter that Asbel didn’t show interest in anyone. He cared about the people of Lhant more than anyone else. He cared about his friends more that anyone she ever met. He regularly took care of monsters on the roads surrounding Lhant so people could travel to Barona or see the flowers in bloom on Lhant Hill. He helped the merchants of Lhant set up their stalls for the weekend markets and helped farmers in the surrounding villages plant crops. He helped everyone he came in contact with. 

Asbel helped everyone he met, just as he helped her when they first met and so that was why Sophie didn’t think it mattered if Asbel never found someone to couple up with the way over people did. Friendship seemed much better to Sophie anyway.


	2. Hubert Oswell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is about Hubert. In this little drabble I try to express both Hubert's resentment and frustration towards Asbel as well as the small amount of pride he has for him.

The Lord of Lhant is strange. That is what the people of Lhant and those travelling through often said. 

Hubert Oswell didn’t blame them for thinking that way. Even though he reunited with his brother a few years ago, Hubert still didn’t understand how Asbel could be so naïve. His brother was an absolute fool when it came to anything political and it took many calls via the communicators Pascal provided and long, long hours tutoring him for Asbel to learn things that should have been obvious to him as the heir of Lhant. 

Even once his brother finally became somewhat competent Hubert still couldn’t help but resent him at times. He had everything handed to him, their father didn’t sell him off, and yet Hubert was still the one cleaning his messes. Asbel was hopelessly naïve. He wanted to see the best in everyone and yet he was blind to those around him. He often forgave those who wronged him and helped those who would take advantage of his generosity. It had gotten him in trouble on more than one occasion and the people of Lhant had taken to questioning those who would see the Lord to ensure he wouldn’t be taken advantage of. 

His brother was reckless and irresponsible. He joined with Lambda without a second thought because he was just that kind and forgiving. He was strong and could face down countless enemies and yet he was still a child looking for the best in everyone.

Hubert often found himself exasperated by his brother and yet even he had to admit Asbel had come farther than he would expected given where his hopeless brother started. This year Lhant had one of its best harvests and the merchant class living there had an extremely successful year as well. Asbel couldn’t wait to show Hubert. He brought Hubert the papers like a proud child showing their parent a prized drawing when he arrived the night before Hubert’s wedding. 

Asbel may be naïve but he would do anything for those he cared about and for that Hubert couldn’t help but being a little bit proud of his annoying big brother.


	3. Cheria Barnes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is about Cheria. It’s the best so far since Cheria has always seemed to understand Asbel and her frustrations regarding his lack of response to her blatantly obvious feelings are a huge part of what I’m trying to cover.
> 
> Briefly mentioned in this chapter is Cheria’s relationship with Pascal.

"The Lord of Lhant is strange." That is what the people of Lhant and those travelling through often said.

Cheria couldn’t help but agree. She had spent years of her life trying to understand Asbel, trying to make him see her as a worthy partner before she realized Asbel was beyond human comprehension.

She liked to think that the time she spent studying him made her a bit of an Asbel expert. She knew his favorite foods, his favorite festival songs, and all his little quirks. Like the way he looked down at his hand when he was struggling with something emotionally. 

The most important thing Cheria Barnes learned about Asbel was that he valued philial love above all else. To Asbel, his friends were the most important thing. He would go running if any of them called, and would do almost anything they asked but he missed the longing for something more that Cheria had felt when she was younger.

At first Cheria thought that Asbel was just oblivious. After all, he didn’t seem to notice King Richard’s light flirting anymore than he recognized Cheria’s heartfelt advances. Even when Sophie and the others joked that she was their daughter and Asbel and Cheria were mom and dad, he never seemed to think anything of it. He never held interest in anyone romantically and Cheria decided she couldn’t put her life on hold for someone who would never notice her.

When she made the decision to open her heart to others she was surprised at how quickly she found love. Habits that she used to find annoying or childish from Pascal she now found endearing. Once Pascal noticed she started bathing a bit more without complaint until eventually Cheria didn’t have to ask her at all anymore. From there their love kind of blossomed. Pascal would accompany Cheria on her journeys. Soon Pascal was repairing things everywhere they went while Cheria focused on helping those in need.

Still, no matter how happy she was in her own life she still worried about Asbel. He was already seen as strange and was only getting stranger every year he continued without a wife or heir. Cheria believed he would never find someone he felt drawn to as more than a friend and though she tried not to waste too much thought on it, it was clear others in their inner circle felt the same.


	4. Malik Caesar

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is Malik. It starts with Malik teaching earnest and oblivious Asbel based off of one of the in game skits where Asbel is hopeless at following commands but perfect when fighting for his friends.

"The Lord of Lhant is strange." That is what the people of Lhant and those travelling through often said.

Malik Caesar can’t help but think they have a point. He had trained countless knight candidates at the academy and none stood out quite like Asbel Lhant.

To start, most noble brats only learned to fight in defense of themselves. They cared little for the struggles of the common folk. Asbel on the other hand seemed to care too much for everyone.

He didn’t learn like the other students and while teachers who focused on the correct form and technique would find Asbel a hopeless student anyone who saw him on the battlefield couldn’t help but agree he was a natural. 

It took Malik a while to figure out just how to best teach Asbel when the boy was so earnest and oblivious to his sarcasm when other students could see it all to clearly.

Journeying with Asbel was truly eye opening in some ways. Asbel was a young man who found himself connected to high ranking leaders in every nation. He was able to negotiate peace or at least goodwill everywhere he went. It came so naturally he wasn’t even aware he was charming world leaders. And yet, when it came to things like love he was totally hopeless.

Malik watched Cheria pine for years before giving up, he and their other friends even tried to lead Asbel to notice Cheria’s feelings but the kid was too blind to anything but friendship and the mission at hand. Even worse we’re Richard’s attempts. The young king was nothing like Cheria with her quiet pining. The king wanted a fairy tale romance and a knight in shining armor and shamelessly flirted with Asbel in the hopes of getting it. Asbel never seemed to notice. All the better in the end. The king desired far more pleasure than a novice like Asbel would have been able to provide. Richard required a more experienced man, like himself.


	5. Pascal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pascal is up now! I’ll do Richard tomorrow and finish things up a day late with Asbel!

"The Lord of Lhant is strange. That is what the people of Lhant and those travelling through often said."

Pascal couldn’t really see what they meant though, he wasn’t stranger than any other person she had met. Sure he didn’t seem to know all the fun ways to entertain oneself during a royal dinner party but that was something she could teach him. Asbel had a good heart. He thought her inventions were cool. He even asked her for help creating some new babies that would help increase the harvest in Lhant.

Really, his only crime was not appreciating Cheria enough and again, Pascal was there to pick up the slack. She even bathed regularly for Cheria. In return she got to spend every night sharing a bed with the cutest girl around.

Despite that small shortcoming Pascal still loved Asbel’s company. She was actually working on a new baby for him, literally. Pascal was a genius and wanted to get a jump on an issue she knew Asbel would have in the future. Making babies. She would just make a machine, her “baby” that would help produce babies for Asbel. Maybe she cool make the kids really cool and give them robot arms or something. 

Asbel might not be strange but her new baby would still help him show up all those stuffy folks who talked about him behind his back. It was the least Pascal could do to help as such a good friend.


	6. King Richard Windor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Richard is one of my favorite characters. I enjoy his flirting with Asbel in F but really, his partnership with Malik in teasing the rest of the party has made me a believer in their relationship.

"The Lord of Lhant is strange." That is what the people of Lhant and those travelling through often said.

King Richard Windor was considered rather “strange” himself, or at least that was the rumor around court. He didn’t really see it. He had some wild aspirations and a love to elegance and extravagance but that was really just good taste after all. All this was to say that Richard did not put much stock into the gossip of others.

To Richard, Asbel Lhant was a bit of a fairytale knight come to life. He would do anything to rescue his princess... or prince. He had followed Richard across the world to save him when he had been possessed. That was far more than just a mere friend would do... or so Richard thought. 

When Richard tried to flirt with Asbel following his return to himself. He thought at first it had something to do with the fact that Asbel had joined with Lambda but soon Richard realized Asbel was just oblivious. He didn’t seem to pick up any of the hints that Cheria was putting down either. Richard kept up the effort for a while but he had needs and Captain Malik was quite a fine option. 

Still, Richard counted Asbel amongst his closest friends. He worried about Asbel. As a Lord he was expected to wed and sire a child. For Richard it was very much the same, but he could easily keep a mistress, or perhaps mister that was more to his liking. 

Asbel didn’t seem to realize that was an option, even Cheria had moved on. Richard wanted to reach out to offer his assistance but there really was no way to help when Asbel didn’t even recognize there was a problem.


	7. Asbel Lhant

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finished early. I just want to say that I never really planned for this to be a good fanfic so much as a reflection of my personal headcanons related to Asbel and his relationships with other party members.
> 
> I personally believe that Asbel and Cheria come to some sort of agreement and either naturally or with Pascal’s intervention have kids but never really have a standard husband/wife relationship.
> 
> Anyway thanks for making it this far.

"The Lord of Lhant is strange." That is what the people of Lhant and those travelling through often said.

Asbel knew people talked about him. He could hear them, nearly as clearly as he could hear Lambda’s voice in his head. He knew people expected him to wed. He read the proposals and sent back refusals to everyone single one. Asbel wasn’t interested in marrying someone he didn’t know, someone who only wanted him for his title or money.

The thing was, Asbel didn’t want to marry at all. People considered him to be somewhat oblivious but he knew what men and women did when they were married, he knew how children were born. That had never interested him. More than that though, he never felt drawn to a single personal above all others.

That was what being in love was supposed to mean, or so he was told. It meant that one person was the most important in your entire world, or so he’d been told. Asbel couldn’t choose like that. All his friends were precious and he cherished each one of them. How could he fake caring about one above the others?

For Asbel choosing between his friends was unthinkable. They were each unique gems that formed... what would Richard call it... a veritable jewelbox. Cheria was so kind an generous to everyone around her, she would save the world one day. Sophie was wonderful and strong and helped Asbel see the world in a different light. Hubert was his brother but he was also so smart, he had grown a lot from the cry baby he had started out as. Captain Malik had taught him everything about being a good night and was working hard to do well by his people. King Richard led his country with grace and understand. Pascal was a genius who could pull off anything. How could Asbel select one of them over another, or much less a stranger and commit himself to them above all else.

Maybe that did make him strange... but more likely romance just wasn’t for him. He couldn’t help but think it was all that important. He had his friends by his side and was meeting new ones every day. He even was bonding with Lambda, their shared headspace bringing them closer together. 

Asbel couldn’t help but think the world was beautiful enough as it was and he intended to enjoy it for a while still to come, trying to figure out love could wait a while longer.


End file.
